Weekly Review -- Happiness, the most cryptic of choices?

Happy-Go-Lucky (2008) -- Why is hope such a rare cinematic gift? Gems like Amélie, Little Miss Sunshine, Watching the Detectives and other occasional delights break through the bleakness of many a reel, but a rich and life-affirming piece still seems to have become a needle in a haystack. Fear not, for here is a movie that will make you smile, laugh and maybe, just maybe dance around your house. Poppy (Sally Hawkins) is a vibrant London school teacher with an unbeatable zest for life. She spends her days discovering and re-discovering the beauty of simple things, inhaling experiences and being herself, despite obstacles presented by "reality". Throughout the film, we see this eternal optimist's relationships with her family and friends, as well as the people she meets along the way. Director Mike Leigh's realism is not as present in this work as it is in many previous ones, like Meantime, Secrets and Lies and Vera Drake; then again, the subject matter itself calls for more freedom in improvisation and, on a somewhat technical level, a more inviting type of cinematography. Colors abound, whether we are peering into Poppy's apartment, her classroom or her flamenco lesson. Indeed, they seem to be a character unto themselves, an ever-present entity that saturates Poppy's world inside and out. Hawkins is incredibly expressive as the principal character, playing Poppy as an anomaly in a universe of "adults" which, of course, is where the beauty of her enthusiasm lies. The scenes which allow for the character's happiness to align with her keen perception and a deeper sense of altruism merely enhance her humanity, and Hawkins hits all the right nuances with her portrayal of emotions brimming underneath the surface. The screenplay gracefully shifts gears from a bubbly poignancy to somber themes like free will, life choices and abuse, staying well away from preachy or apathetic extremes of the dramatic spectrum. Leigh's trademark dysfunctional family theme enters the film in a few places, but this time its purpose is to confirm Poppy's joie de vivre, without the dysfunction sharing a symbiotic relationship with the other aspects of the narrative. Happy-Go-Lucky is a unique movie in its depiction of joy, showing that happiness is always within our grasp, if only we place faith in our perception and learn where to look.

9/10